Geophysical Services

MEA offers a full suite of surface geophysical services for non-invasive site surveys. Selection of survey equipment is dependent on site conditions and project objectives. Standard geophysical equipment available for surveys includes:

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

GSSI UtilityScan Pro, SIR4000 control unit, 350 MHz HS antenna, 4-wheel cart.

The GSSI® SIR 4000 is a lightweight, portable, ground penetrating radar system that is ideal for a wide variety of applications. The SIR 4000 is designed to operate with analog and digital antennas. MEA utilizes a 350 MHz HS digital antenna. Signals transmitted from the 350 MHz HS antenna can achieve maximum penetration depths up to 40-feet in ideal site conditions (i.e., low-conductivity overburden material), with a typical range of 6–12 feet of signal penetration. Increased signal penetration is achieved through GSSI’s® patented HyperStacking® (HS) technology.

Radio Frequency (RF) Line Locator

RadioDetection 8200 with Tx10 transmitter, inductive clamp with extensions, grounding rod(s).

RadioDetection® RD8200 Radio Frequency (RF) Cable and Pipe Locator is a radio frequency locator that utilizes a receiver and transmitter combination to accurately locate subsurface pipes and cables. The transmitter emits a radio signal between 256Hz and 65kHz which can be applied directly or induced to an active utility such as metallic conduit, direct buried wire, copper pipe, steel water pipe, and duct iron sewer pipe. Plastic PVC or concrete lines can be located through the use of a fiberglass wrapped metallic tracer wire (Rodder) directly snaked through the plastic utility. The average maximum depth penetration of the RD8200 is 10–15 feet bgs.

Jameson DuctHunter (Rodder)

3/8-inch x 300-foot fiberglass-wrapped tracing wire, can be fed through exposed utility/pipe to direct trace in conjunction with RF.

Piping that is unable to be located via direct connection (PVC, fiberglass, etc.) but presents an opening at or near surface could potentially be located via use of the Rodder. Once the Rodder is fed through the piping, the RF transmitter is connected to an induction pin and tracing the utility can be completed.

Fisher TW-6 Electromagnetic (EM) Locator

Used in blind surveys to locate metallic anomalies.

EM surveys are utilized to provide an effective assessment of large metallic targets such as buried drums, septic tanks and orphaned USTs. Surface features such as building components, reinforced concrete, and parked cars can interfere with survey results and yield false positive identification.

DJI Air 3S (Drone, Unmanned Aerial system)

Used to collect aerial photographs of surface mark outs applied during the geophysical survey.

Aerial photography is conducted following completion of the geophysical survey to memorialize mark outs, indicate inaccessible survey areas, create large scale aerial maps showing current site conditions and assist in figure preparation. Use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and are flown by MEA’s FAA-licensed pilots.